There Is Always Time to Engage, Thank and PIF

For my last post of 2014 I thought I would do things a little differently.

I’ve been writing for you, the extended and global community of the Personal Branding Blog, for a little over two years now. It has been a pleasure and a privilege. I’d like to thank Dan Schawbel and Maria Elena Duron for the opportunity and to thank each of you for reading, commenting and engaging.

I have penned over 100 posts for the Personal Branding Blog so far. I have covered a lot of topics. Everything from the value of handwritten thank you notes to what to do at trade shows and a lot of things in-between including what Millennials can learn from Retired General Norman Schwarzkopf with Rules 13 and 14.

My requests for you in 2015 are just three simple things. If you choose to take on any of these “challenges” I will commend you now and wait for your comments over the coming weeks and months.

• Be More Engaged (in the things that matter to you)
  • The Like Check – Can you keep your Likes in check?
  • My friend Tim McDonald of Huffington Post fame has been doing an experiment for the past month
  • On Facebook he has NOT clicked the “Like” option for over 30 days.
  • The idea and intent was only to force himself to engage more deeply in the form of a comment.
  • Engage in the things that are worthy of your time.
• Take the time to thank people – It can be as simple as using the two words.
  • Thank You!
  • Thank you for reading my posts over these past few years.
  • Thank you to those that have taken the time to engage and comment.
• Give Back – 5 years of PIFF
  • The Birth of Pay It Forward Friday aka PIFF
  • Over 5 years ago I was at a local coffee shop and didn’t have my wallet with me. I had switched cars with my son and realized too late that I left my wallet in the center console. I know … not smart. Regardless, I had already ordered and was holding up the line while I frantically patted myself down for spare change. What happened next sparked a revolution. At least for me!
  • The guy behind me … whom I did not know … said: I got this!
  • Since then every Friday I buy the coffee, bring the donuts, hold the door, or just smile.
    • Shhhhh, don’t tell anyone, but — I do this on other days of the week too.

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles.
It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.
~ H Jackson Brown Jr.

These are three really simple things that take nothing more than your focus and a little bit of your time. They don’t have to cost anything in terms of real dollars. But, they will likely mean a lot more to those that you are Engaging, Thanking and PIF’ing. When you do the little things you will not only stand out in your career you will stand out in life. And, in doing so you’ll make someone else’s day just that much more pleasant.

• It’s so easy to get distracted by the minutiae that doesn’t drive you back to your core mission. Don’t!
• It’s so easy to take a few moments to thank someone that we too often forget or just skip it. Don’t!
• It’s so easy to take too many things for granted and to forget that others have helped you get to where you are today. Don’t!

Instead Take a Few Minutes Each Day to Engage, Thank and PIF

Try ‘em I think you like ‘em. And, please drop me a note in the comments. I really do appreciate them and when you do I’ll know I’ve made the cut for engaging when you do.

Here’s to a great wrap up of 2014 and to looking forward to a fantastic 2015.